What is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) ?TCM has been developing for more than four thousand years in China with its own theories, concepts and systems. The main treatment methods of TCM include meridian acupuncture, herbal medicine and Tuina, a Chinese-style massage.

TCM approaches patients in a different way from conventional Western medicine by dealing with the whole person and root problems instead of focusing on individual syndromes alone.

For example if a patient has insomnia, fatigue, constipation, depression, and chronic low back pain, a Western physician may consider that the patient has a digestive system problem, spinal or low back muscular problem, and nervous system problem. The patient may be referred to a stomach specialist, back specialist and nervous system specialist where each symptom will be treated separately from each other.

In TCM these seemingly different syndromes may be diagnosed as the “imbalance of inner organs of the body" which is the root of all the symptoms. The TCM treatment will focus on bringing “balance” back to the inner organs, and when achieved the symptoms will subside. Treatment with TCM is a very gentle medicine with almost no side effects if properly administered by a TCM trained doctor.

Can TCM Help You? TCM can be effective when other medical care has failed. Each system of medicine has its own areas of efficiency and excellence. TCM excels in those areas in which conventional medicine usually comes up short such as chronic diseases, pain control and stress reduction.

Who is a Good Candidate for TCM?

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Any properly diagnosed patient who went through other treatments that have not worked, or are less effective and have more side effects.

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Any patient feeling sick or abnormal when conventional diagnostic techniques show normal and/or no conventional treatment is available. If your doctor tells you it is something you have to live with, you may find a TCM practitioner to help you.

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Use it to increase the benefits of other health or medical care, for example, chronic pain caused by cancer or severe side effects from chemotherapy.

What is Acupuncture?Acupuncture is the gentle insertion of hair-fine thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the flow of ones Qi (pronounced "chee") or natural healing energy. Sometimes, rather than just inserting acupuncture needles, your doctor may choose to use fine acupuncture tacks to stimulate Qi over a long period of time or may use heat or mild electrical stimulation. The technique of heat is called moxibustion and the application of local electricity used is called electroacupuncture.

Acupuncture needles used in the center are ALL individually wrapped and disposable,

insuring sanitary conditions per individual use.

What is Chinese Herbs?
In the course of your treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine, you may be prescribed an herbal supplement. Herbs are a variety of naturally found products having medicinal properties and add to the healthful benefits of acupuncture and traditional Chinese treatments.

Herbal formulas can be taken in a variety of ways. You may be prescribed raw herbs. You will take them home, and following simple instructions, steep these herbs into a tea to be drunk at home. Although we call it "tea," some patients find the taste to be a little less than "delicious." For this reason, many practitioners also offer herbal supplements in pill and capsule form. Herbal formulas tend to be created for a single patient and their specific pattern of disharmony. Chinese herbs are very gentle medicine, with almost no side effects if used properly.

How does acupuncture work?Acupuncture is a method of promoting natural healing and improving function within the body. It is done by inserting needles and applying heat and/or electricity at various precise acupuncture points. Chinese explain acupuncture as Qi (pronounced as "chee") or energy traveling through channels in the body surfaces. These channels called meridians are like rivers that run through the body and nourish the tissue. Any obstruction of movement of this energy is like a dam which backs up the flow in one part of the body and restricts the flow in other parts. An obstruction or blockage or deficiencies of energy (Qi), blood and moisture would lead to dysfunction and ultimately disease and death.

Meridians can be influenced by acupuncture needling, unblocking the obstruction of the dams within the meridian circulation releasing the regular flow of Qi, blood and fluid, moisture through these meridians. Acupuncture treatments can be helpful for internal organs, connective tissue and promoting digestion absorption and energy production.

Modern science explains the function of acupuncture in the following ways: Needling of acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release neuroproteins and neuroinformation packets in the muscles, spinal cord and brain, particularly the release of endorphin, enkephalins and dynorphins which have been identified in the mid-brain. These chemicals modulate the perception of pain and the physiological function of the neural-endocrine-hormonal system. They trigger the release of the body's own internal influences on regulating and harmonizing health.